1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing terminal apparatus, an image processing system and an image processing method, and in particular relates to a terminal apparatus having an image input device and capturing image data of an intended area on a document by scanning the intended area on the document, an image processing system including the terminal apparatus, and an image processing method in the image processing system.
2. Discussion of the Background
An optical character recognition apparatus using a PC and a flatbed or sheet-feed scanner (hereinafter referred to as a scanner) is generally operated as follows in performing character recognition to an image on a printed document (hereinafter simply referred to as a document);
First, the document is set on the scanner, and the entire part of the image on the document is scanned with the scanner and thereby image data of the image on the document is captured and transferred to the PC.
Secondly, the image data of the image is displayed on a display of the PC with character recognition software. An area in the image to which character recognition is desired to be performed (hereinafter referred to as an intended area) is designated with a mouse using the character recognition software, and thereafter with manipulation of the character recognition software, image data of the intended area designated in the image is converted to text data (character code data), and the text data of the intended area is displayed on the display again.
Thirdly, the recognition result with the character recognition software (i.e., the text data of the intended area) is checked, and a necessary correction is made to the text data of the intended area using a keyboard of the PC.
Fourthly, the text data of the intended area after correction is copied or pasted to application software having a word processing function or a spreadsheet function.
When processing plural images, the above-described operations are performed to each of the images. When plural intended areas are included in an image, the above-described second through the fourth operations are performed to each of the intended areas.
When an image on a document is scanned with a flatbed canner for example, if an image sensor of the flatbed scanner is vibrated or moved, obtained image data is distorted. Therefore, generally, the flatbed scanner is provided with guide rails to prevent the image sensor from being vibrated or moved.
Also, a portable image scanner suitable for capturing image data of a necessary part of an image on a document and performing character recognition to the image data is known. In such a portable image scanner, because an area of a light receiving part of a scanning device is smaller relative to a size of a document, generally an intended area of the image on the document cannot be scanned at one time. In this case, the portable image scanner must be moved laterally several times to obtain image data of the entire part of the intended area. Further, when the portable image scanner is restricted in the moving direction, in capturing image data of an image on a document in which text is vertically written, the user may have to hold the image scanner differently from when capturing image data of an image on a document in which text is laterally written. Furthermore, the portable image scanner easily moves or vibrates, thereby distortion being caused in captured image data, so that when character recognition is performed to the image data, the correct character recognition ratio is decreased.
International Patent Publication WO00/26851 describes a portable image scanner and an optical character recognition apparatus in which image data captured by scanning an intended area on a document with the image scanner is converted to text data with character recognition software in a PC and is directly inputted to application software. The publication also describes that designation of an input start position of the intended area and confirmation of the designation can be made on an LCD of the portable scanner.
International Patent Publication WO007/73981 describes a portable character recognition apparatus in which vibrating of the apparatus is suppressed by using a special paper and thereby distortion is prevented from being caused in captured image data. However, in this case, character recognition can be only performed relative to images printed on the special paper.
A known portable scanner uses a guide roller to prevent winding. Mechanical countermeasures for preventing winding of a portable scanner such as a guide roller easily break while in use and have disadvantages in strength and reliability.
Japanese Patent Laid-open publication 09-282084 describes a technology of correcting a rotation angle of image data of a figure by providing, separately from a line sensor for capturing the image data of the figure, a plurality of pairs of a light emitting element and a light receiving element for detecting a moving distance of the figure and correcting distortion in the image data of the figure. In this case, the number of parts of an apparatus incorporating the technology is relatively large so that the apparatus is expensive, and further adjustment of the apparatus in initial setting, etc, is necessary.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,563,951 describes a method of performing a pattern matching process between adjacent images. In the method, the sizes of characters that can be processed are limited to 7-20 points, and characters of larger sizes and relatively large images cannot be processed.